House at Road's End

by Peggy Staggs

  Jack and I watched her disappear through the backdoor.

  “You’d think they were kids to see them together.” Jack said.

  “Jane and Uncle Bill.” I’d never have put them together. I yawned. I had to see what else was in the bag before I left.

  We pulled everything out. Jack even turned the bag inside out. The only other things were a couple of computer cords.

  “Interesting assortment,” he said. “Cash, cords and a list of names and numbers.”

  I couldn’t make sense of it either. “There’s got to be a connection, but I can’t see it.”

  “Right now I want you to go get some rest. And some boots. We’re going to visit a couple of ranches tomorrow.”

  Kenny came in the backdoor. “I’m here to get the bag.”

  “Where’s Luke?”

  “He asked me to come in for the bag.”

  Jack pushed the bag toward me. “Watch this for a minute.” Then to my surprise he asked, “Where’s your gun?”

  “In the car.”

  He reached down, pulled up his pant leg, took a .38 from an ankle holster and handed it to me. “Just in case.” He pushed Kenny out the door ahead of him.

  »§«

  I could get used to waking up in luxury. The room smelled of Lavender. I wondered if all the rooms had a different scent to match their decor.

  I sat up and stretched. My cell phone read six. I felt great. A solid night’s sleep, the prospects of running this morning, and we were going to get some answers, today held a lot of promise. I got ready and hurried downstairs.

  “Good morning.” Jack stood in the kitchen in running shorts. “Want something before we go?”

  “Toast and water. I don’t like to go out with a lot in my stomach.” If we ran too hard I didn’t want to throw up in front of him. “Sophie and I used to run until we got to our favorite bakery, then we’d stop for doughnuts.” I missed Sophie.

  “Kind of voids the run doesn’t it?”

  “The doughnuts were great. And we ran back.” I finished the toast.

  He shook his head. “Whatever works.”

  “Exactly.” I pulled open the front door.

  Frost covered the grass. Making me glad I’d opted for a jacket. “Is it always this cold in the morning?”

  “It’s a little warm this year. We usually have snow by Halloween.”

  As we started walking I asked, “Did you find out anything about the threatening call I got?”

  “I checked your phone records and it came from a burner. It wasn’t local. That’s troubling.”

  “No kidding.” I stopped in the middle of the road. It couldn’t be possible. “Don couldn’t be behind this, could he?”

  “No. I’m still checking. I would prefer it if you’d stay at my house until this is over.”

  No. I shook my head. “I can’t do that. I have to help Jane and get things ready for Halloween.”

  “I have a security system and a dog.” He whistled and Lois came running back to us. “She isn’t much on the attack front, but she will let you know when someone is there. And I don’t want to have to face Bill if anything happens to you.”

  We started jogging. “Thank you, but we have guests now and I need to be there.” I had to ask. “What can you tell me about Nate Baker?”

  “He was here when I got to town.”

  “You’re good at not answering my questions.” We started down the driveway.

  He smiled as we turned onto the paved road. “I’m used to being the one asking the questions. I’ve never had any dealings with the saving and loan or him and I’m going to keep it that way. He has a...let’s just say I don’t care for his business practices.”

  “He called me—I’d still like to know how he got my number—when I was driving out here about an investment my father was interested in.”

  We came to the top of a rise. “I don’t know anything about an investment.”

  We began running.

  “I can’t see my dad going to anyone but his broker for investments.”

  “The only thing I know about Ralph’s investments is that he didn't have any money in the resort. He told me not to invest either.” He glanced down at me. “I’m glad I listened to him.”

  “When will you know about that list we found last night?”

  “I faxed it to a friend of mine. He’s looking into it for me. I should have something by tomorrow.” A car passed us a little closer than I liked. He watched it as it sped off. “I’m sending the cash down to him too. The CSU guys here are good, but I need more than what they can do.”

  “Do you know where the two and a half mile mark is?” I asked as we started up another hill.

  “Getting tired?”

  I’m used to a semi flat running surface. Spirit Springs isn’t flat. I wasn’t going to let Jack know my legs were burning. Fortunately, when the trip out is up, the trip home is down. “No.”

  Half an hour later, he pulled open the front door and the three of us entered. His house is more beautiful in the daylight. The morning sun sparkled through the wall of windows, across the hardwood floors of the formal dining room and into the living room on the other side of the entry.

  I was still trying to catch my breath when I left him in the hall to go take a shower.

  He went into his room.

  Lois, went in search of water.

  When I came back down stairs he was in the kitchen. “Want something to eat?”

  I opted for coffee and yogurt. He pulled two containers of peach yogurt out of the refrigerator along with two of those individual serving cups of diced peaches. You might consider wearing your running shoes today.” He opened one of the diced peaches and drained it. “You want extra fruit in yours?”

  That sounded good. He handed me the mixture. “This is great. It’s like desert for breakfast.” I took another bite. “Why should I wear my running shoes?”

  “Your other shoes aren’t going to work well on a ranch.”

  »§«

  We climbed into his truck. “I haven’t had time to read the file yet. I’ll do that today.”

  “Should we have dinner again and compare notes?”

  “That would be nice.” I felt a flutter of expectation. I reminded myself he was a good friend of my dad’s that was why he was being kind and no other reason.

  A half an hour later we pulled into a barnyard. Horses were crowded up by the fence and cows grazed out in the pasture.

  As we got out Jacked called to a man by the barn, “Hey, Joe, can we have a word?”

  “Sheriff, what brings you all the way up here?” He set the saddle he was carrying on the fence and walked toward us.

  “You do.”

  “Me?” For a second he looked as if he were searching his memory for some infraction he’d committed.

  Jack introduced us. Then said, “You were talking to a guy in the bar the other night,”

  “Gots to narrow it down.”

  “He had on all new clothes,” I said.

  “Oh, yeah, he was a nosy pain-in-the-ass.” He turned to me. “Sorry, Ma’ am.”

  “He’s the one,” Jack acknowledged. “What did he want?”

  Joe shrugged. “Kept asking about the resort and did I know any of the men who worked up there.”

  “Anyone special?” I asked. Okay, I know I was supposed to be the sidekick. The one who stood there and does nothing. I don’t do a good sidekick.

  Joe eyed me. “You the new town Doc? I could be getting real sick soon.”

  “Joe,” Jack warned.

  “Yeah, I know, the pain-in-the-ass. There was someone special he was interested in.” Joe moved a hunk of dried mud around with the toe of his boot. Finally, he shook his head. “Can’t remember. I was doing my best to find the bottom of as many beers as I could. Sorry.”

  I felt a pang of disappointment. How could he not remember? Didn’t he know how important this was?

  “Does this have to do with old Ralph?” He to
ok off his gray hat. “I’m real sorry about your dad.” He slipped it back on. “Know who you might ask is Cid over to Max Jessen’s. He talked to him for a while too. Cid got mad at him, but you know that.”

  “Thanks,” Jack said. “Let me know if you think of anything else.”

  “Will do.”

  When we were back in the truck I asked, “Was Cid the one who knocked over the chair the other night?”

  “Yes” He backed up.

  “What if this Cid doesn’t remember either?”

  Jack’s expression became guarded. “Then we go to the Hot Springs and ask Lacey. She has her nose in everything.” He turned out onto the main road.

  “How far is Max Jessen’s farm?”

  “Don’t let him hear you call it a farm. He’s got one of the largest ranches in the area.”

  We found Max in the corral feeding a beautiful horse. The chestnut was tall and lean. He threw his head in the air and ran off as we approached.

  “Damn, Arabian horse,” Max yelled. “Always running off when someone comes around.”

  “He’s beautiful,” I said as the proud horse pranced around with his tail in the air.

  “Yeah, my daughter just had to have him.” He didn’t sound very happy.

  Again Jack made introductions. “Max, is Cid around?”

  “Sent him out to check on the stock in the south pasture. Should be back before night. What’s he done?”

  “Nothing. We need to talk to him.”

  “You really going to be the new town Doc?”

  “No.” I didn’t want to have to explain to everyone I met that I wasn’t the town’s new doctor. So I’d decided to go with, no.

  He frowned and scratched his neck. “Heard different.”

  “Have him call me as soon as he gets back.” Jack pulled a card from his pocket. “I want to hear from him today.”

  “I’ll give it to him,” Max said and turned back to his magnificent horse. “Come on I’ll take you for a ride.” The horse pranced over.

  In the truck I said, “I don’t like him.”

  “You’ve got a long line to stand in. Most of the people around here don’t. Some of them feel sorry for him. His daughter took a bad turn in college. Drugs, bad drugs.” We headed for the main road. “She’s in prison. Won’t be getting out anytime soon.”

  “That’s sad.” I glanced back at the paddock, the man was walking toward the barn, his head bent and shoulders hunched. The horse was right behind him. I didn’t know if it was from sadness or posture. Whichever, he appeared miserable. “Now what, do we sit around and wait for Cid to call?” I asked.

  “You’re going back to the B&B and I’m going to work.”

  “That’s it?”

  “For now.”

  “It doesn’t seem very efficient.”

  Jack headed the truck toward town. “What doesn’t?”

  “Waiting. Can’t we talk to the Mullen CSU guys?”

  “I already checked. They don’t have anything yet.”

  “I’ve got to do something. I can’t just wait around. Let’s go out and find Cid on the south pasture.”

  “Max’s south pasture is the size of a small state. Where should we start?”

  “Oh.”

  “There’s a lot of empty land out here.”

  That I’d gathered on our way out here. We’d only passed one other house, the one we’d stopped at earlier.

  “I can do some research I’ve been meaning to do. And I have a file to read.”

  “I’ve got some people to contact.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Jack had his methods and I had mine. I’d go back to the B&B and reorganize. The Sergeant’s murder last night threw a whole new twist on things. Why was Dad’s old Sergeant here? Had he sent for him? And if so, why? So many more questions. I’d asked for a copy of the list and was told that it was part of an ongoing investigation. Fine.

  One minute he was taking me along and the next shutting me out. Men. I don’t know that much about them never having dated much. I asked Sophie about men. She is a striking beauty who rarely spent a weekend night alone. Her advice was simple. “Don’t do stupid stuff with them and you won’t get in trouble.” It made sense at the time. It wasn’t helping me much with this man.

  Jack dropped me off at my car and I went back to the B&B. As I pulled into the driveway it occurred to me I didn’t know when Uncle Bill would be here. I couldn’t wait. He was a smart man. He’d help me sort this out. I wasn’t sure he’d help with Jack. It didn’t matter. I wasn’t staying.

  I parked the car and headed for the kitchen door. I had to get the U-Haul back. The problem with that was I had to find a place to put the contents.

  Inside, I found the big black cat sitting sentry on the top step of the back porch.

  The little cat was nowhere to be seen. “Where’s you little friend?” He stood, stretched, and sauntered off toward the trees.

  Since the only thing waiting for me inside was a mess, I decided to go for a walk with him. A gentle morning breeze rustled the dry grass nearly masking the muffled cat cries. The mournful sound grabbed my heart with an angry fist. “Where’s it coming from?”

  The big cat trotted toward a clump of trees.

  As we grew closer the sound grew louder, and more pitiful. As if it were the last effort the animal could give. The black cat went right into the dense undergrowth.

  I pulled the brambles apart.

  There, laying on her side was the tabby caught in the cruel metal jaws of a trap. Her skin ripped by the punishing steel. Blood covered her and the trap.

  “When I find out who did this, I’m going to—” I pried the trap open as gently as I could. I’m no vet, but I know broken. I had to get her to a vet. I had no idea where there was one. Tears tightened my throat. My only defense against them was anger. White hot anger.

  Unexpectedly, seeing the tiny animal so grievously hurt for no reason, logic took a vacation. I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and called the only local number in my phone.

  “Hello, Doc.”

  “I’m going to shoot whoever did this.”

  “You do and I’ll have to arrest you.” Jack said with his ever-present maddening calm.

  “Someone put a trap out here and my little cat got caught in it and I don’t know if she’s going to live. And I don’t know where the vet is. And I-” A sob stole my words. “Damn it, I hate crying.”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  “No. You’ve got things to do. Just tell me where the vet is.”

  He ignored me. “Get her to the B&B.”

  I stood outside the kitchen door. The little cat in my arms and the big one at my feet as Jack pulled up the drive.

  “Let’s get your cat to the vet.”

  “What about the big one I can’t leave him here. What if he gets caught in a trap, too?”

  Jack plucked the other cat from the grass. The big guy instantly hugged into him. “He goes too.”

  Five minutes later, I entered the only vet’s office in the area. “This is an emergency. We need to see the vet right now,” I told the girl at the front desk.

  “What’s wrong, Ma’ am?” She eyed me as if I were being unreasonable. She had a point. I was standing there with a perfectly healthy cat.

  I heard the door behind me open.

  “Morning, Sheriff.” She smiled. “What’ve you got there?” She looked over the counter at the cat in his arms.

  “Is Pete around?”

  “He’s on his way back from the Jessen place.”

  “She’s lost a lot of blood. She won’t make it if the doctor doesn’t see her now.” Mentally, I held the door closed on the part of my brain where I keep my temper. It’s an ugly beast that rarely sees the light of day. Right now it had the door cracked. When the door opens all the way it never ends well.

  “This way.” She led us to a small room. “Sheriff, I heard there was another murder at the B&B last night. What happened?”
/>   “It’s still under investigation.”

  “Oh, sure,” the receptionist said.

  “How long before the Vet gets here?” I asked.

  “It shouldn’t be long.” She left. “I’ll call him.”

  When we were alone I took off my cashmere sweater, spread it on the exam table. Jack laid the tabby on it.

  He leaned against the wall as the other cat figure-eighted around his legs. “You know in the country, outdoor cats are always getting caught in something or hit by cars, or eaten, don’t you?”

  “They’re going to be house cats from now on. I can’t be worrying about them all the time.”

  He bent down and scratched the big cat’s ears. “Cats are everywhere out here. No one pays much attention to them. They aren’t strays as much as throwaways. There are plenty to take their place.”

  Before I could tell him how uncivilized that sounded, a man in his late fifties walked in. “Hi, Jack, what have you brought me this time?”

  This time? Ha, busted. He may appear tough and sound tough, but he wasn’t.

  “Pete Baker this is Ensley Markus. She’s the new owner of the B&B.”

  “Nice to meet you,” the vet smiled as he shook my hand.

  I didn’t bother with niceties. My mother would have been appalled. “We’ve got an injured cat.” I pointed to the motionless ball of fur on the table and explained what had happened.

  “These the cats that showed up at the B&B awhile back, aren’t they?” he asked.

  “They’re the ones who live there, yes,” I said.

  “You know they’re strays someone dropped off.” He gently examined the cat in my sweater. “That’s a nasty break. Probably, best to put her down.”

  “Kill her? What kind of—”

  Jack put his hand on my shoulder. “Pete, there has to be something you can do for her. You know how women are. You’re married?”

  The vet gave a quick laugh.

  My temper stood right at the door, gnarled hand on the knob, ready to throw it open. Eager to jump out and smack either one, or both of these guys. I took a deep breath in an effort to keep the door closed. Someone had better do something fast or...

  “Good. Then you understand when a woman has her mind set on something, it’s best to go along.”